Church of St Augustine, Victoria Gozo
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{{Infobox church
| name = Church of St Augustine
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| native_name = Knisja ta' Sant' Wistin
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| image = Church of St Augustine, Victoria Gozo.jpg
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| caption = Façade of the Church of St Augustine
| pushpin map = Malta
| pushpin label position = right
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| pushpin mapsize = 250
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| map caption = Location within Malta
| coordinates = {{coord|36|02|32.9|N|14|14|13.0|E|display=inline,title}}
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| location = Victoria, Gozo
| country = Malta
| denomination = Roman Catholic
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| founded date = 1492
| founder = Jacob de Leo Provincial
| dedication = St Augustine of Hippo
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| consecrated date = 12 May 1782
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| status = Conventual Church
| functional status = Active
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| architectural type = Church
| style = Baroque
| groundbreaking =
| completed date = 1666
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| parish = St George's Parish Victoria
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| diocese = Gozo
| province = Malta
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| bishop = Mario Grech
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| rector = Felix Buttigieg
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The Church of St Augustine is a Roman Catholic church building in Victoria, Gozo, Malta, situated in St Augustine's Square. The church is part of the Augustinian monastery situated on its left side.
Origins
The order of St Augustine is the oldest religious order in Gozo and probably the first such order in Gozo to establish permanent residence in Malta. Before establishing themselves in Victoria the order lived in Xagħra near a small church dedicated to Our Lady of the Seven Joys. The earliest mention of the Victoria monastery and church date to 1435 but some researchers claim that the monastery already existed in 1260. In October 1652, Pope Innocent X ordered the monastery and church to be closed but they were reopened after 4 months through the intervention of Grand Master Giovanni Paolo Lascaris.Bezzina, Joseph. [http://www.victoria.org.mt/overview/main-attractions/ "Main Attractions"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019091018/http://www.victoria.org.mt/overview/main-attractions/ |date=2014-10-19 }}, Victoria Local Council, Malta, 2011. Retrieved on 19 October 2014.
==Enlargement==
In the 17th century the church was rebuilt and the monastery enlarged. The church was finished sometime between 1662 and 1666. The church was consecrated by the Bishop of Malta, Vincenzo Labini on May 12, 1782. The works on the monastery were finished by 1717.[http://www.visitgozo.com/en/item/churches-and-chapels/st-augustine-convent-1181/ "St. Augustine Convent"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019230646/http://www.visitgozo.com/en/item/churches-and-chapels/st-augustine-convent-1181/ |date=2014-10-19 }}, Malta, 2013. Retrieved on 19 October 2014.
Works of art
The main attraction of this church is the titular altar piece depicting Augustine of Hippo, John the Baptist and William I, Duke of Aquitaine. It was painted by Mattia Preti in 1694 and paid for by Giovanni Gurgion.Calleja, Thomas. [http://www.maltesering.com/churches_of_malta_st_augustine_convent_victoria.asp "Churches of Malta - St Augustine Convent - Victoria"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924084640/http://www.maltesering.com/churches_of_malta_st_augustine_convent_victoria.asp |date=2014-09-24 }}, Malta. Retrieved on 19 October 2014. In 1836 the corpse of St. Dionisia was brought from Rome and placed beneath the third lateral altar. The icon of the Blessed Virgin of Good Counsel on the main altar was brought from Rome in 1765. In 2007 some thieves stole a number of priceless ornaments that adorned the image.Cauchi, Mark. [http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20070811/letters/theft-from-st-augustines.8512 "Theft from St Augustine's"], Times of Malta, Malta, 11 August 2007. Retrieved on 19 October 2014.
The church building is listed on the National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands.{{cite web|title=Church of St Augustine|url=http://www.culturalheritage.gov.mt/filebank/inventory/Chapels%20and%20Niches/00877.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810084133/http://www.culturalheritage.gov.mt/filebank/inventory/Chapels%20and%20Niches/00877.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 August 2016|website=National Inventory of the Cultural Property of the Maltese Islands|accessdate=31 October 2015|date=27 August 2012}}
See also
{{Portal box|Catholicism|History|Malta}}